Witness Protection Bill Passed

The witness protection bill has been passed unanimously in the parliament today. The much delayed bill was approved by the Cabinet last July. It was first tabled before the parliament in 2008 but was deferred.

The bill was drafted by the Justice Ministry, and thereafter referred to the cabinet sub-committee on legislation for its recommendations before being presented to the parliament.

The call for an Act for Protection of Witnesses has been made for the past few years, particularly during the post-conflict period as it would create help conduct fair trials through striking a balance in the criminal justice system of Sri Lanka between the rights of the accused, the rights and entitlements of victims of crime and the entitlements of witnesses.